Chicken coop building
By Ian McInnes
There is nothing better than collecting a fresh, still warm, chicken egg in the knowledge that you and your family have exclusively looked after the birds. You know what the birds ate and you know what went into the eggs. There is a growing trend in the U.S. for people to keep chickens in their backyards both for eggs, meat, and fertilizer for your garden. In Austin, Texas, for example, chicken keeping is widespread and, for the moment anyway, even roosters are permitted. Building your own chicken coop could be the first step to a satisfying hobby that could lead to healthier living and save you some dollars at the grocery store.
Preparation
Before you even start looking for chicken coop plans do some research, find out what restrictions and regulations there may be for keeping chickens in your town or city. Once you know what you have to do to satisfy bylaws then you can calculate the number of chickens that you can keep in the space that you have available. Next, select a permissible site for your chicken coop. If you can, select a site on south-facing, higher ground that will allow water to drain away. Subject to local bylaws, which may differ, each bird will require between three to five square feet of coop space; allow for more space, up to ten square feet per bird, if your birds will be in the coop all day. If you are building an outside run, allow between eight to ten square feet per bird. Stinting on space in the beginning may cause problems in the long run because the more room your birds have the less chance they have of becoming sick.Chicks need ventilation but also warmth and protection from drafts.
Design
There is a whole range of plans for chicken coops available for downloading on the Internet many of which will have the requirements that you need designed in. However, you may want to design your own coop. If that is the case, or you need to check an existing plan, the coop will need to:
- Be adequately sized, dry, dust free, and ideally facing the most sunlight
- Be easily accessed by both your chickens and yourself (for gathering eggs, cleaning, and maintenance); doors and windows need to be fit for the purpose but also secure against bad weather and predators
- Have adequate light and controllable ventilation, but your coop should also be as draft-free as possible. Light is known to stimulate egg production, if it can be natural, so much the better; you may want to install electric lighting for fall and winter days
- Allow for sufficient perch space and nests, nine to ten inches of perch space per bird and one nest box for between three and five birds should suffice; ladder style perches are common and popular. Try not to inadvertently provide other areas where your birds could perch and also avoid putting roosts over where you enter the coop
- Have easily reached feeding and watering systems. Designing your own is an option but commercial, some automatic, systems will often be a cleaner and more efficient solution
- Be resistant and secure against the predators that are likely to be in your area; research and installing extra predator precautions could pay dividends
When choosing your coop plan (or if you are designing your own) try to put functionality over pleasing your eye. Of course, some plans, or your design, may achieve both.
Materials
Your plan will usually stipulate what you need such as, various sized timbers for the exterior, the interior, and for the construction of nest boxes and supports, ¾ inch plywood sheets for the exterior, tar paper, aluminum paint, shingles, or metal sheeting for the roof, and an assortment of hardware, Perspex, Plexiglas or acrylic sheeting for windows, and mesh, wire, or cloth to protect permanent openings from predators; installing sliding windows will discourage birds from roosting on them. Most importantly, select building materials that are easy to clean and disinfect.
Construction preparation
It is a good idea to set up a construction area for building your coop a little way away from your actual site. Putting down a tarpaulin will catch saw dust if mess is an issue and this can be used on the coop later. Your tool kit can be simple or you can employ your power tools. Basically you will need:
- A measuring tape
- A hammer and suitable nails
- A screwdriver and suitable screws
- A drill
- A framing square
- A saw
Working in an organized area should mean a safer and more efficiently executed project.
Predators
Depending upon your area you could be protecting your chickens from predators such as, cougars, coyotes, eagles, foxes, hawks, raccoons, rats, and wolves. It would also pay to be mindful that domestic cats and dogs can be partial to chicken too. It is far easier to overprotect from predators rather than do the job after you have lost your birds to predators. Research the risk and use stronger materials where you think it is warranted; check your coop for predator activity and attempted entry often.
Links to plans
Products for Poultry
Product availability and pricing may vary by location.
These products may be purchased at your
local store.
Images are representative only. Color and size may vary.